Visual record tallying device



Oct. 7, 1952 J. 'r. CARADINE 2,612,707

VISUAL RECORD TALLYING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1950 2 swam-swam 2 FIG. l0.

INVENTOR. JAMES T. CARADINE FIG. 9. 4 WWW- ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 7, 1952 Application-January 1 1950', SerialI No. 138,896

This invention'relatesjin general to coun'ting devices, and more particularly'to certain newand useful improvements in inventory tallying, d'e-' vices, designed to present'a-visual record:

The primary object of the present inventionis' to provide a counting device'whichfin a very simple, economical manner, makes possible the;

maintenance in o'flices and business 'houses of a continuous visible count and record of any desired data in what may be called a graphic tally from which one may. instantaneously and at a glance derive a conclusion without laborious" reference to written'record sheets. I

An additional object of the pr esent'invention is the provision of a visual-record counting device comprising a case having'a'plurality' of graduated, counter-receiving posts normally concealed within-the c'aseto preventu'nauthorized tampering and adapted for vertical movement" into exposed position for graphically presenting a complete, visible inventory of the stock in trade;

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a visual-record counting device which may be adapted to record inventory data" I relative to any number of stock'items, and which is easily maintained to present a continuing or current inventory, and thereby eliminates the necessity of taking periodic, laboriousinventories as is generally customary; I

An additionalobject of the present'invention is the provision of an inventory tallying'device' which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and effective for the purposes intended thereof, and economicallymanufactured.

With the above and other objectsin' view, my

invention resides in thenovelfeatu'res' of'f'o'rm, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out inth'e claims; 1 e

In the accompanying drawingsltwo sheets) Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of an'inventory tallying device constructed in" accordance with and embodying the presentinve'ntion; v

"Figure 2 is'a transverse sectionalvi'ev'v taken along'line 22 of Figure "1";

Figure 3 is a fragmentary'transverse sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig'iire2;"

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse'section'al view taken along line 44of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional viewjtaken along line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure dis a fragmentary'sectional view showing the counting post board inelevatedpcsition;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary'se'otional view-showing the locking awr'mpperame osition;

Figure 8 'iS a'fragrnentar y sectional view 'showing the" locking pawl in inoperative position;

Figure 9 is afragmentarytransverse sectional view taken alongline fi ff of Figure 5; and

Figure 10 disc.

Referring nowin more detail andby reference characters to, the drawings which? illustrate a" preferred mbodiment o'f the' present invention, A designates a countingor tallying device compris'-' ing a rectangular case lbeing'opened'atitstop and having'side walls z, 2', and'end walls'i3,.j3", the latter being centrally'provided with vertically extending apertures 4, 4', respectively, which are rounded at their uppe'r'and lower ends. Disposed in said apertures 4; 4f for free'rnovement therein are collars 5, 5', respectively, mounted-upon a transversely extendingshaft 6 which projectsoutwardly at one of its ends "beyond the apferture '4 and has mounted upon its outer projectingex tremity'a handlemember 7. Suitably mounted upon said shaft 6, immediately adjacent to, and

inwardly of, the collars 5", .5',- are spur gears 8, 8', respectively, meshingly' engaged with" ve'rtically disposed racks 9, 9, respectively; mountedupon the 'inner' faces of; the endwalls 3, 3","and terminating-at'their upper ends spacedly from the upper marginsthereof,-(seeFigure 5) The-shaft 6 extendsthro'ugh bra'cket'members l 5, l 0, which are secured to the un'der face of afrectangular" base plate or lif-t'board I l of slightly decreased lateral dimensions and being disposed in normal relation to the walls 2', 2 3, 3. The brackets Ill III, are of suflicient heightto maintain said plate ll spacedly above-the shaft-Slat; may ,be'seen'in Figure 5. p 1 H Mounted centrally-upon the inner "faces of the side-walls 2, 2,, are vertically extending racks l2, I2, respectively, with which 'are' meshingly engaged pinions 13, I3; respectively, mounted upon the ends of a rod l4-extending transversely across the under face of the base plate ll, through thespace between the shafttj and said base plate II, in normal relation to the I shaft 6. Inwardly of, and adjacent to, the' pinions l3, l3, said/rod I4 extends loosely through brackets l5, l5", secured to the under face" of the I plate, or so-called' lift board ll. Thus, it will be seen that upon manual rotation of the handle element 1, the gears'8, 8', will-bedrivenupwardly1 along-their associated racks 9, 9', and thereby: elevate the base plate I |;,withthe collars 5,;;5, moving :freely Within the aperturesd, 4'. simul 1 taneously, the pinions l3, 13, will be driven-'upwardly by the racks l2, 12, respectively, and

is a' perspective view of a counting suitably thereby the base plate II, will be provided with support adjacentall four of its sides, so that it will be maintained at all times in parallel relation to the horizontal.

n the inner face of the end wall 3, adjacent the upper end of the aperture 4, there is disposed a locking pawl I6 having an outwardly extending handleportion projecting through a suitable aperture in the wall 3, upon manual operation of which the:pawl 16 may be swung into locking engagement with the gear 8, as shown in Figure 7 for maintaining the plate II in elevated position,"'or into inoperative position, as shown in- Figure 8.

Mounted upon the upper face of the plate I! and suitably secured thereto, as by rivets |8,.is a tallying unit or so-called counting-post board.

...relate to one item of'merchandise.

course, apparent that the device A may be of any convenient'size to accommodate the number of apertures 23 with related posts 2| necessary for the particular operation involved.

|9'of substantially the same dimensions as the plate vided in its upper face with a multiplicity of, preferably circular, recesses disposed in transverse and longitudinal alignment, each being .adapted for rigidly receiving the lower end of an upstand ing ost 2| having a flattened face portion 2| with graduated markings .22, of a suitable scale,

imprinted or otherwise delineated thereon. Each Said counting-post board I9 is propost 2| is axially aligned with a relatively en larged circular aperture 23 in a rectangular cover. or label board24 presented across the top of the case disposed in loosely seated disposition upon. the upper end faces of'the racks 9, 9', l2, I2.

is a locking arm 21 and a knurled knob '28 for rotating said pin 26 in order to swing the arm 2'linto orout of locked engagement with a keeper member. 29 mounted upon the upper margin of each' end wall 2, 2'. Thus, with the locking arms 21 in locked engagement with the keepers;

29 the coveror label board 24 is maintained securely in position,

Upstandingly disposed upon the cover boardi Zlalong one side thereof is a legend board 30,

suitably provided on its rearwardly presented face with angle cleats 3| for insertion at their lower ends in brackets 32 mounted upon the upper face of the board 24 whereby said panel may be maintained securely in upright position. On

its inwardly presented face the legend board 30 is provided'with a plurality of spaced indicia members 33, such as glass buttons or jewels, of preferably varying colors, as white, red, blue,',

green and the like, whereby each color will indicate' a-ce'rt'ain predetermined number of measuring units. Thus, depending upon the particu: lar scale to be utilized, the white button could indicate ten units or ten dozen, as the case may be, with the reddesignating twenty units or twenty dozen, and so forth. The particular desig-.

nation of each member 33 is entirely arbitrary with the user.

' There I .isprovided for removablef disposition upon thepost 2|, annular counting or tally discs Adjacent the central portions of each side margin-of the board 24 is an aperture 25 within which is disposed a pin member 26, beveled at its lower ends for secure retention therein and projecting at its upper end beyond the plane of the board 24.

Mounted'upon the projecting end of each pin 26 34 having a central opening of slightly greater diameter than the posts 2| and an overall diame-' ter slightly less than that of the apertures 23 the cover board 24. Said discs 34-ar'e fabricated preferably of a conventional thermoplastic and u arecolored to agree with any one of the indicia members 33. For example, a red disc, would In-usage; the base plate may be elevated in the manner hereinabove described and locked 20- in such position by operation of the lockin pawl l6. In this position the, counting posts -2|-wi1l project upwardly through their respectiveapertures 23in the 'cover board- 24"in completely exposed positiongasflmay be seen in Figured.

After the amounts of any oneflparticular item of merchandise have been determined, theappropriate discs in requisite number are disposed upon the post2| associated withthe aperture 23 corresponding to the various items ofmerchan- :dise. For example, if the ..riumber .ofpairs of shoes of size 9 /2 is normally carriedin'an-amount of fifty pairs or more, a discMlof-the appropriate color indicating ,five pairscould be utilized, and the user. would place ten'of such discs 34 upon the counting post 2|. As stated above; the posts 2| are graduated to a'convenient scale,

which is designed to. indicate rapidly-the number of discs 34 which may be, disposed thereon. Thus, the graduated, markings-22' could be in spaces of 5's so that each space w'ould be equi'valent'to the height "of five of the .discs- The user could immediately determine the amount of the particularitem of stock by looking at marking 22 nearest the top of thestock ofdiscs 34 upon any post 2|, For instance, the marking 22 could be ten and if there, were one o r two discs 34 above the number ten mark itwould easily be determined "that there. were fifty-five or sixty units, as the case may be.

In the event there was an odd number of units in stock, as for example,.fifty-one, the user could put ten ofthe five unit discs: 34 and one one unit disc 34 upon the appropriate post 2|.

After completion of the inventory-taking, with V the placement, of the requisite discs 34'upon the a respective pdstsLZ'Lth'ere is presented; a visual graphic indication ofthe inventory carried. The

locking pawl I6 may then befmoved to permit descent of the base plate whereby the posts 2| W111 then be concealedly disposed within the interior of the case This is a most important feature since it prevents unauthorized inspection of the inventory count. In the normal course of business, as stock "isadded or taken out, the discs 34 on the'l'postslfl maybe appro priately added or removed in'a'ccordance therewith so that a running or current inventory is easily maintained.

If desired, the counting post board lfl areas associated posts 2| may be built separately from the plate I and a plurality of such separate units suitablylabeled or with label boards 24 and legend boards 30 suitably attached maybe supplied for use by executives or'fo'r useby executives or for use as a transfer board so that totals from oneyorv more pi -the; tallying, devices; A; can be accumulated, consolidated, or recapitulated; For example, a-sowalled-transfer board ay, .be made;up of a counting 330st board vll9 with a label board 12.4;v and a legend: board, 30.; rig-idly, attached so as to be usedto; transfer; at certain closing periods, :the. count,v taken from ,one orv *more, of

thevv tallying-devices A hy; using higher value amazed counting: .discs 34; which, maybe of; a different color and mayrepresentsome selected multipleof the counting disc ,.3 4,: 'us ed,with thetallying de: vice A. Similarly, an executive board may be madeby' rigidly connecting a counting post board plate ;in itsupward; shifted position tog-maintain l9 and a label board 24. In this connection, it 1 has been found convenient-inactual practice, to m theeXe u Weaar s as; a educe s a replica of the counting post board [Sand l-abet board 24 so that it will be compact enough to i set either at the rear or one side of an executives figures onto written lists.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the counting device may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A visual record counting device comprising a case, a first board disposed across the top of said case and being provided with a multiplicity of apertures, a second board disposed within said case and adapted for vertical movement therein,

exposed, position upoirupwaigdi movementeof; said;

ersgrhavingan; external: size smallercthan a: the aperturesiof thewfilsti board; -each,;washer-l-ike member further being providedswith an; opening adapted around the post soathatthewasherlike members may beiremouabmi disposed. uponsaidwposts and beingtadapted; when; so mounted to pass, through; said apertures with, said posts for affording a. viewable, graphic;v representation. ofigrecorded; data, andwmeansefor docking; said,

sai postimembersin'exms dposition. c-

" .A', visua i-i'recordrcountina device comp i n a; case being Qn niattits top-land; bottom, ends. a-. -ilrs t, board removabln disposed: across the open top gend; ofesaid: casegand-i having multiplicity otrapertures opening into the interior ofthecase, each :7 of said apertures havin associated therea with a, label, a; plate disposed within said; case in parallel spaced1.'re1ati0n to. said; first board gear means-associated. withssaid plate, whereby said: plate may be, raised. and, lowered :within said casa a. econd board; mounted upont theiupper,

face ofgsaidqplate inenarallel relation rto-gsaid' first;

board, upstanding postmembers mounted at their lower ends in said second board and being normally concealed within said case when said plate is in lowered position, each of said post mem- I bers being aligned with an aperture in said first board whereby upon upward shifting movement of said plate said post members will project through said apertures into completely exposed position, a plurality of washer-like counters provided for removable disposition upon said post members for affording a viewable graphic representation of recorded data, and locking means for optionally maintaining said plate in upward shifted position.

4; In a visual record counting device for the presentation of quantitative data in visual graphic form, the combination of a case, a first board removably disposed across the upper end '.of said case and having a multiplicity of apera plurality of spaced posts disposed upstandingly' upon said second board, each post being aligned with an aperture of said first board and being of substantially smaller size than such aperture for extension therethrough when said second board is in upwardly shifted position, and a p1urality of washer-like counters having an external size smaller than the apertures of the first board, each washer-like member further being provided with an opening adapted to fit around the post so that the washer-like members may be removably disposed upon said posts and beingadapted I when so mounted to pass through said apertures with said posts for accordingv a viewable graphic representation of recorded data.

2. A visual record counting device comprising a case being open at its upper and lower ends.

a first board removably disposed across the open upperend of said case and having a multiplicity of apertures opening into the interior of said case, a plate disposed within the case in parallel relation to said first board and being adapted for vertical movement, a second board mounted upon the upper face of said plate, upstanding spaced posts normally concealed within the case, mounted at their lower ends in said board, each of said post members being aligned with an aperture in said first board for projection therethrough into tures opening into the interior of said case, each aperture having associated therewith a label, a

legend board disposed upstandingly upon the upper face of said first board and having a plurality of indicia members, a second board disposed within said case and adapted for vertical shiftable movement, upstanding post members mounted at their lower ends in said second board and having graduated designations throughout their length, each of said posts being aligned with an aperture in said first board whereby upon upward movement of said second board said post members will project through said apertures into completely exposed position, and counting members corresponding with the indicia members on saidlegend board for disposition upon said posts I to indicate the number ofunits in inventory of the item being tallied on each post member.

5. A visual record counting device comprising a case, a board disposed in said case and being adapted for vertical movement within said case,

upstanding fiat-sided post members disposed at their lower ends in said board, a cover board member disposed across the top of said case and having a multiplicity of apertures opening into the interior of said case, each of said apertures having associated therewith a designating label and being aligned with a post so that the post will extend therethrough when the second boardis in upwardly shifted position, and a plurality of washer-like counters provided for removable disposition upon said .-members and havingla ciroular aperture for loosely' embracingthe 'D'Ot whereby: to iaflord a viewable graphio representation-of re'oorded data, the apertures in said cover board being substantially larger'in diametra'l size than the diametral size of the'posts-and washers combined so that -:when the washers are mounted upon the posts they will freely clear Etheapertures in the cover board'when the post carrying boardisin elevated position. 1 a I I 6. A visual record counting device'compris ing [a case being open at its-top and bottom ends,"a first board removablydisposed across the opentop. end of said caseand-having a multiplicity of apertures opening-intotheiriterior of the case,

each of said apertures having associated'therewith a label, a plate disposed "within said case in parallel spaced'relation tosaid first board,-

means operatively associated with said plate 8L vvhensaid plate is in'lowered position, each of said'postwmembers :beingaligned with an aperture in saidfirst board whereby upon upward shifting movement "of sai'd plate said post memberswill proj eotthrough said apertures into completely ex posed position, a plurality of washerlikencounters provided forzr'emovable disposition upon said post members and afiording a viewable graphic'representation of recorded data, and

whereby said plate may be raised and lowered within said-case, a second board mounted upon the upper face of said plate' in parallel relation to said first=- board,upstanding post members mounted at their lower: ends-in said second board and being normally concealed within said case 665,103 Kampelna Jan; 1, 1901 1,486,983 McDonald Mar. 10, 1924 1,525,795 Bliss (1);-s Feb. 10, 1925 1,525,796 a I Bliss (2 Feb. 10, 1925 :Hayes- Jan. 15, 1946 

